It’s clear the Tories don’t believe that in the post-election fracas they and their possible allies can reach the threshold 324 seats to win a majority in Parliament. That’s why they’ve already launched a deceitful campaign of denunciation against the only political forces that can deprive them of their retention of Downing Street – prepare […]
Posts under ‘Westminster’
Tory attacks on Labour & SNP legitimacy are dishonest, hypocritical & illegitimate
May 7th, 2015 by Michael Meacher.
The big downside of this election
May 5th, 2015 by Michael Meacher.Apart from the narrowness in the polling between the two main parties, the other dramatic characteristic of this election is the number of people who are profoundly disgruntled and deep-down angry at the Establishment, in which they include Labour as well as the Tories, and are likely either not to vote at all or to […]
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Minority government, Scotland and the grilling of Ed Miliband
May 1st, 2015 by Phil Burton-Cartledge.What did you think of last night’s grilling of the main party leaders? As much as I detest Dave and his Nick Clegg mini-me, I think they performed creditably by the criteria one judges media appearances. The Prime Minister was polished and a little bit sweaty, but his question dodging body swerves saw him through […]
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The figures still stack up to a Labour government
Apr 30th, 2015 by Michael Meacher.Nate Silver, the statistician who predicted the US election results right in 2012, has said his forecasting model indicates neither main party can get a parliamentary majority with just one partner. What he didn’t say however were two things that are more important than this headline. One is that the Tories can’t get to the […]
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The trial of Greville Janner
Apr 16th, 2015 by Phil Burton-Cartledge.Is it possible to not be surprised yet be shocked at the same time? If it is, that’s what I felt this morning when the news came through that Lord Janner, the former Labour MP for Leicester West would not be charged. Shocked because the testimony and evidence is compelling, not surprised because of the […]
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Will those fighting Labour’s ground war be consulted on who we work with after 7 May?
Apr 8th, 2015 by Peter Rowlands.Following a local discussion recently I realised that not only had I not thought about or had any clear ideas as to whether or how the membership would be consulted in the event of a hung parliament, but that this was largely the position across the board, with few commentators or bloggers addressing the question, […]
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PMQs – the spectacle and farce – is rotten and out of touch and needs radical reform
Mar 26th, 2015 by Phil Burton-Cartledge.It’s been a long, tedious road; but here we are. In regular slots since the 13 October 2010 Dave and Ed have faced off in gladiatorial combat over the dispatch box. How did it go? It was pretty poor, from Labour’s perspective. Especially when, for those who score such things, Ed Miliband had come out on […]
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Parliamentary reform should be major objective for next government
Mar 24th, 2015 by Michael Meacher.Parliament is currently not fit for purpose. It isn’t just the corruption – the expenses scandal, the recent Rifkind-Straw venality, the link between life peerages and party donations reported yesterday. More insidious and even more damaging is the way that Parliament presently operates fundamentally undermines any serious degree of democratic accountability. Tribalism (my party right […]
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Reform of Parliament should be prime target for next government
Mar 6th, 2015 by Michael Meacher.People understandably are angry at what they see as a raucous and rowdy mob at PMQs and at the MPs’ expenses scandal recently rehearsed by the Rifkind-Straw scandal of access for cash, but these are the more visible aspects of Parliament’s activities. Sadly it is the much less visible dimension of how Parliament routinely works […]
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Members of Parliament, second jobs and the culture of entitlement
Feb 27th, 2015 by Jon Trickett.If ever for one second a doubt appears in your mind that the Tories aren’t the party of wealth and privilege, all you need to do is read the Tory speeches in the second jobs debate on Wednesday 25 February. In the meantime here is my speech from the debate: Jon Trickett (Hemsworth) (Lab): This has been […]
